Different Ways of Life
by Walking On Midnight
Summary: Jess is an FBI coming for a case. Rob's close with Douglas and hears alot about our Lightening Girl. Isn't it just wierd the way the world works. AU


**This is just at the same time as Mising You- the fifth book. But it AU (Alternative Universe) and Rob and Jess -surprisingly- they haven't met yet. And Jess is with the FBI and helps them finding kids and what-not, she still has her powers though. And she came back on for a case- which you wil soon find out. But all in all this is just random for now. My favorite kind. **

**Disclaimer: All belongs to Meg Cabot, I just own the books she writes. **

**1-800 AU**

**Chapter One **

"Jess? What are YOU doing here?"

Yeah, you see how my dad greets instead of normal hey? It's not like I didn't call I was coming for a case. Though I was a day early and I would have hid from my family- god, especially my mother, but I really missed Douglas and I wanted to see him.

Just as the screen door on the front porch squeaked open and my mom came out wondering what the jebeez is going on, when she saw me.

"Jess?" I came up the front porch and followed my dad in.

"I thought you were coming tomorrow?" she asked "I planned the welcome barbecue tommorrow night. Exactly when you get here." My mom gave a lecture about having to call earlier and muttering how it was a good thing she changed the sheets and cleaned my room a bit.

"I didn't know either, Ma.-"

"Don't call me Ma. You know how I hate it when you-"

"The agency just called me in short notice." I ignored her and went on like she never said a thing. She gave me a look on interrupting her and sighed and nodded.

I walked up the stairs that knew so well. "Besides, I have to go see what Krantz wants." what I didn't say was that I was supposed to meet him in a few hours, and was allowed to see my family a bit. It's not that I didn't want to see my parents, no. I just wasn't feeling up with my mom telling me that it was a shame I was single and not married to a hundred thousand-dollar man. Like say, Skip for instant?

"Is Doug at work?" I asked after finally dumping, my bags off in my room, and noticing on the way that they'd changed his room, which was across the hall, to an office for my dad. Remembering, lately he moved out recently and my mom was actually OKAY with it. Well, actually my mom was a bit relent about the idea.

She rolled her eyes "Probably is, unless he's fussing about the repairs for the school," I nodded remembering him telling me that they- the school board, were going to shut down the school on account for not having enough kids attending. The school, Pine Heights, was an elementary school, that all of us went to, it was so close- about three blocks away that we would always go home for lunch.

My brother and his girlfriend, Tasha, with a few other political neighborhood people had fought to keeping the school instead of turning it into luxurious condos, and won. And my brother was LEADING them. Really, because two years ago none of us would have believed that Douglas would ever do something normal again, like getting a job. But there he is, finally getting out of his room, getting a job at Underground Comix and eventually moving out.

"It's all he ever does now. Work. School. Work. School." she sighed and frowned. I turned to her giving a small smile.

"Well I better go. Before Krantz gets all worked up," I didn't wince at the lie and sauntered down the stairs.

"Oh. I should better go to the store anyways."

I nodded and told them a goodbye and went off to the blue bike that waited patiently on the driveway.

It was a baby-blue '68 Harley. Not exactly the color I would've chose, but my father gave it to me for a grad/going away present, when I accepted the offer and joined the FBI. And the color suited well and I really just wanted a bike. It wasn't exactly turquoise but not so much teal, either, more of the color of the sky in an Easter Sunday. But it suited well with her cream-colored leather seat and it's shiny chrome trim. And my dad gotten a cream-colored matching helmet. I love this bike.

I don't know where my father had gotten it, but he did say he got it from a nice young man that fixed old bikes in his barn. A Grit I knew already, cause no Townie that I know owns a motorcycle, besides me of course, and has a barn. Not that I mind Grits, like my mother.

Well, whoever did own, Blue Beauty- yes I did name her. Not so original too, but I like it.- is a miracle worker for hooking this up.

I gunned the bike on and pulled on my helmet and turned it towards Doug's work place.

I saw the building where Doug works at, it was only fifteen minutes after ten, so knowing he had recently just opened the shop. The parking lot in front of the shop was empty, only this complete cherried-out Indian that looked a bit familiar. It was black-mint.

I parked beside it, and must I say when I got off the bike and looked at the two bikes, they look really good together. The black kinda complements the blue- whatever it can do. And- okay it's safe to say we all know that I AM a freak.

I opened the door and with the soft chime of the bell on the door. The familiar smell of glossed comic books and dust lingered in the air. There were a few shipping boxes that were un-opened to the side of the counter, which was right in front and visible when you would enter through the door.

It was a glass counter- where inside are a few comic books all the way back from the 80's and a collector's thing or something. With the cash register and a cup full of pens and a nice silver bell.

"Doug? Hey Douglas?" I couldn't see anyone around the shop and stepped up to the counter and rang the bell. And hearing the ding a smile could have crept on my face, and I kept on ringing it just knowing well enough it'll annoy the hell out of Doug if he doesn't come here quickly. And I'll admit I was having fun doing this.

"Okay! Okay, you can stop ringing that now." Douglas emerged from the room behind the counter with two boxes in his hands. He hasn't noticed me yet, but when he finnaly did he paused.

I grinned at him "Hey Doug." He quickly set the boxes down and then stared at me disbelieving.

"Jess?" He said dazely "How- What are you doing here? I thought you were coming here tomorrow," he wanted to know.

I leaned on to the counter and hopped on it "What's up with people in asking that?" I hugged him and he, very uncharacteristic of him, kissed my cheek as a greeting. "Do you not want me here?" bending from this position my shirt raised slightly to my near mid-drift showing my GP 35 gun from it shoulder houstler.

"Whoa. What's up, is there a highly chance of a killer coming in?" he noticed the gun and now usually back not even that long ago he would have one of his episodes from seeing a gun. But so far he looked fine and normal, making a laugh out of it too.

I rolled my eyes and shrugged "Reflexes, I guess. Anyways, Krantz called me in early," he nodded and then told me the changes of town and the progresses he made with the school.

He looked behind me and smiled "Oh, hey Rob," I turned my head and found a hot looking guy standing there.

He had a nice face, not exactly slacked jawed, like the ones I know and see. The guy's face actually had some intelligence in it, at least. So what, if his nose looked like it had been broken a few times? And maybe his mouth was a little crooked, and his dark curly hair was in a bad need of a trim. But it was all made up with a nice pair of eyes so light blue that it was really pale grey. You can tell under the leather jacket were a a really broad shoulder. I tried not to notice how nice his jeans hugged on him and how it faded in the right spots. You can tell he's a Grit and probably the owner of that bike too.

I gave him my best smile and noticed he was holding a _X-man _comics.

"Jess this is Rob, my friend. Rob, Jess." I saluted to him with two fingers.

And he smiled "Hey," he went up the counter and paid "Aren't you supposed to come tomorrow?" I looked at Douglas with raised eyebrows, mentally saying '_how the hell did he know that? I thought _I _was the psychic.' _

Rob noticing my look laughed, "Oh. Doug just talks about you a lot that's all."

"Well I was called in early." I explained nicely to him. He got his comic back but he didn't leave yet.

"He came to Ernie Pyne too. And he says he went to detention with you too." Douglas said. I smiled at him "I don't even seem surprised. You never even liked band."

"Beating up someone a foot taller than you. I don't see how some so short can harm a supposed star tackle." Rob said I ignored the comment about how short I am because it's true I am pretty short.

"They're all just weak." I said speaking the truth. He laughed, he has a nice laugh.

"So how's New York going?" He asked.

I thought for a while "New York is going... well. Cases have been going on. Ruth's sleeping with Mike and she thinks I don't know yet." I grimaced at the thought, and pulled on a face when Douglas choked. I leaned in and smacked him in the back, while Rob chuckled, I saw him eye my gun but didn't say anything about it, and shook it off.

"You serious?" Douglas asked when he finally recovered. I nodded and he shook his head.

"Oh and Skip still hasn't moved on yet." I thought of the boy asking me out again, trying to be me with money.

"So all and all nothing different?" Douglas asked.

"Mhmm." I smiled.

"And I got five speeding tickets from all the way in San Francisco. The perks about being an FBI is that I don't have to pay for them." I smiled widely.

"I don't know why someone would ever give you a license," Douglas said.

I shrugged "I finally got to ride my bike again. New York you can never drive there you always have to walk." I glanced at my bike through the window and found it sitting next to the nice black bike, who I am sure Rob owns from his booted feet.

"She's a beauty," Rob said nodding toward my bike.

"Blue Beauty," I said automatically, before realizing how cheesy it would sounded out loud.

"She runs good?" he asked.

"Like a kitten." I said. "That your bike?" I asked and he nodded, so I was right, not saying anything else to it.

"Have you been home yet?" Douglas asked.

"Yes, and don't tell Mom that I was here. They think I went straight to Crane."

Rob laughed "Hiding from home, huh?"

I laughed too "Yeah, just not feeling up to it, I guess."

I glanced at my watch and muttered a curse, "I have to go for real now. Krantz is going to-

Just at the moment my phone rang, and I you don't have to be a psychic to know it was him. Knowing well enough that once you speak of someone they would momentarily

I jump down the counter and took out my phone, notihing special about it, not like a complicated types, and answered it on the fourth ring.

"Before you yell at me, I'm going already." I said. I heard him grumbling on the other line and heard papers and things shuffling in the background before he said, "Just get over here," he growled before yelling at someone about getting the evidence bag out before hanging up.

"I'm gonna go," I hugged Douglas "I guess I'll see you tomorrow,"

I turned to Rob and for some weird reason I wanted to hug him too, but I resisted, how wierd would a girl you just met who was your friend's little sister, attack you with a hug? "And I guess I'll just se you... around." but I wished so much I would see him more.

"Actually I invited to Rob to tommorrow too." Douglas, bless his soul, said. "I hope you don't mind," Rob said, I smiled.

"No, not at all," I wouldn't mind one bit, but I have a feeling my mother would but who cares? The welcome thingy is for me anyway.

"See ya." I waved at the two, and got on the bike. I checked the time again and gunned the bike and headed towards Crane. Breaking the speed limit on the way too.

**It's a start for now. I'm trying to keep them all into character, but they might not end up, but I'm trying. I can't wait for the barbecue, it'll be fun especialy since Rob will be there. I'll try updating tommorrow. **

**Reviews are always great. **

**Nathalie **


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